this post was submitted on 09 Mar 2026
33 points (100.0% liked)

ADHD

13006 readers
12 users here now

A casual community for people with ADHD

Values:

Acceptance, Openness, Understanding, Equality, Reciprocity.

Rules:

Encouraged:

Relevant Lemmy communities:

Autism

ADHD Memes

Bipolar Disorder

Therapy

Mental Health

Neurodivergent Life Hacks

lemmy.world/c/adhd will happily promote other ND communities as long as said communities demonstrate that they share our values.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Hi all! I was formally diagnosed with ADHD in my mid 20's. Currently taking generic Vyvanse and Guanfacine. Getting on meds was a huge quality of life improvement. One thing that I still struggle with is chronic insomnia, which is a common commorbidity with -- or maybe symptom of -- ADHD. The insomnia started around the time I hit puberty and I can count on one hand the number of great nights sleeps I've had since then.

I've tried a lot of environmental changes like:

  • Having a rigid bedtime schedule.
  • Wearing blue light filter glasses for 3 hours before bed.
  • Taking melatonin supplements.
  • Minimizing screentime.
  • Using a weighted blanket.

Those all seem to help somewhat but not to a huge degree. I still feel sleep deprived most of the time.

Apparently I also occasionally have jerking movements while asleep somewhat consistent with "Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep (PLMS)".

Has anyone else had a similar experience and found any effective treatments?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

One thing not mentioned in the comments is getting daylight and fresh air first thing in the morning. Fifteen minutes ideally. Standing near a window didn’t cut it for me. Had to step outside fully with a hot drink. Feel the light on your skin and eyes, the air in your lungs and nostrils.

That one adjustment made a noticeable difference for me. It didn’t solve the problem, but I could feel that the “pull” into sleep was a bit stronger at nights when I had been doing it. And when I do eventually fall asleep, it’s better quality.